1978 Con Con president is wrong about amendment

Bill Paty's June 22 letter states that it was the 1978 Con Con that amended the Constitution to include an equal rights provision. That was not the case.

The equal rights provision in the Hawaii Constitution, including no discrimination based on sex, was part of the original Constitution written in 1950.

In 1972, the Legislature proposed a second equal rights amendment prohibiting sex discrimination, which was adopted by the people. Both of these equal rights provisions were in our constitution before the 1978 Con Con ever convened.

It was also written into our original 1950 Constitution that it is the Supreme Court of Hawaii that interprets what the Constitution says and means, not the Legislature.

Daniel R. Foley

Lingle ethics violation was not a clerical error

Your June 22 editorial on my complaints about the Linda Lingle campaign and its obvious ethics violations, and comparing them to former House Speaker Daniel Kihano's use of his leftover campaign funds, bordered on the ridiculous.

First, the excuse of Lingle's campaign manager that the violations were unintentional and a clerical error is unbelievable. The letter from Republican Sen. Sam Slom to school principals was a follow-up letter. It was the second in what was intended to be a series of such letters. One letter may have been unintentional; not two.

Today, I received another "follow-up" letter from the Lingle campaign addressed to Lorraine Akiba, state director of labor, which was sent to her office. It should be clear to anyone except the most myopic person that the Lingle campaign was sending solicitations for political funds to state employees at their places of employment. The pattern would have continued if I had not called attention to it.

Finally, to bring the Kihano violation into the discussion is to mix two completely dissimilar situations. My recollection is that, at the time of his violation, Danny Kihano was not an elected official and was not running for office. On the other hand, Lingle is an elected official and is a candidate for the highest office in Hawaii.

Our people deserve better from our public officials than a "clerical error" excuse, and more from you, the "guardians of our ethics," than a mere shrug of the shoulders. Or have you chosen to ignore your moral code in an apparent effort to get Linda Lingle elected?

Walter Heen
Chairman
Democratic Party of Hawaii

Cayetano's 'grading' of Legislature was laugh

The governor's grade of B-plus for the 1998 Legislature had me wondering why it was rated so high.

Then I read about how a few legislators received exorbitant fees from the very generous Bishop Estate, and how at least one former one enjoyed wining and dining on the estate's credit card.

Perhaps the governor meant to give the Legislature a "BE-plus" -- for Bishop Estate Plus.

Astoria asks Honolulu to take care of Missouri

What a pleasure it was to have the USS Missouri stop at the Port of Astoria. We expected 40,000 but, at final count, 57,040 crossed the deck of the ship and 67,690 saw the ship from the docks. That's a total of 125,000!

The director of the Columbia River Maritime Museum said it best when he called the Missouri "a piece of the cross of American history." Visitors were more like pilgrims than tourists. They felt it an honor to stand in line for up to four hours, in order to spend 20 minutes on the deck of the ship.

Our only hope is that a long-term relationship can continue to be built between Astoria, Ore., and Honolulu. Take care of "our" ship, as it belongs to all of us.

Aunty Lydia will be missed by so many

When Lydia Namahana Maioho, "Aunty Lydia," passed away in May, our entire state mourned the loss of a true local treasure.

Aunty Lydia, who always had time for everyone, volunteered much of her time to local organizations like the Daughters and Sons of Hawaiian Warriors (Mamakakaua) and the Office of Hawaiian Affair's Culture and Education Committee.

As curator, custodian, guide and kahu of Mauna Ala, the Royal Mausoleum, Aunty Lydia and her family have cared for the remains of Hawaiian royalty for over a century. She was the eighth curator of the mausoleum and served for 28 years -- longer than anyone who has held the post.

As a descendant of High Chief Ho'olulu, who cared for the bones of King Kamehameha I, Lydia's own heritage is deeply rooted in the Hawaii culture. She was named Outstanding Hawaiian of the Year in 1986 by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. It was a title that fit her perfectly.

Nora Feuerstein

Pollution inevitably makes itself known

Regarding your June 17 article, "Beijing comes clean on its dirty air," it's sad that the people of Beijing were kept in the dark about their pollution problem for so long.

The same thing is happening in the United States. Yes, we may be informed about some of our pollution problems, but not all.

I guess if we're kept in the dark long enough, we won't need to do anything about it -- because we'll all be dead.

Jeffrey J. Seeman
Waipahu

Why isn't there more criticism of Clinton?

Editorial columns like the May 25 Jack Germond and Jules Witcover piece, "Jim McDougal's posthumous charges," are excellent. I hope there are more.

It gripes me that no one else has seen fit to add to your flickering flame. I indignantly ask, "How come?"

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